Re:Italy Wikipedia shuts down in protest at proposed EU copy...
by smsm42 on Thursday July 05, 2018 @03:05AM
(#17461380)
> the perceived power of the UK press to manipulate governments.
Isn't that how democracy is supposed to work? I mean not for Mr. Murdoch personally, but if you take the whole press, isn't that one of the instruments through which the society controls - or, if you will, "manipulates" - the government? And if the government can't be "manipulated" by the society, isn't that the definition of tyranny?
Re:Italy Wikipedia shuts down in protest at proposed EU copy...
by pessimizer on Tuesday July 03, 2018 @11:29AM
(#17450968)
Local tyrants preferred brexit, international tyrants preferred remain.
Re:Italy Wikipedia shuts down in protest at proposed EU copy...
by fauigerzigerk on Tuesday July 03, 2018 @12:05PM
(#17451296)
Murdoch is very much an international "tyrant" though. He's not British and his media empire spans much of the globe.
> I once asked Rupert Murdoch why he was so opposed to the European Union. 'That’s easy,' he replied. 'When I go into Downing Street they do what I say; when I go to Brussels they take no notice.
He may or may not have said that, but what's clear is the perceived power of the UK press to manipulate governments. UK PM in the 90s, John Major, told an inquiry that Murdoch had demanded he change his position on Europe otherwise lose support. [0]
He didn't change, and Murdoch supported his opponent in 1997 (who then went on to win)
20 years later, Murdoch executives met with the UK PM or Chancellor (the second most important person in government) 10 times. [1]
So while perceived EU lobbying may have contributed to brexit, far more likely was 40 years of proven newspaper lobbying.
[0] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18405629 [1] https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/feb/05/rupert-murdoch...